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Wednesday, 30 December 2015

DESTINATION: 2016

The only place where I would love to fast-track time is at work. Outside, I wish for time to be suspended. Or I think of childhood when a day seemed to run to eternity. This is just a concept nowadays. Not having thought of it as luxury then, I would now pay for one to be boxed and opened at my convenience.

I'm keen to have that box now. The thought of ringing in the New Year in a couple of days is like the dreaded sound of my alarm clock after I have snoozed it at least five times when I wanted to declare it a duvet day. Don't you also sometimes wish you can stop the clock as in those game shows?

But 2016 is just around the corner, and as with the rest of the human race, I have no other option but to usher it in. As a personal tradition (and sometimes affliction, depending on the memories), I always look back at the year that was. If you've been with me in the last three years, you've seen my year-ender posts and have exchanged holiday greetings over them. This year, I'm sharing with you collages of my travels and other snapshots that have marked my 2015 calendar.

Time flying is now an understatement. It zooms past us, and the least we can do to hang on to it is to create memories.

Paris, Sligo, Kilkenny Castle, Bewley's Ballsbridge Dublin, Slieve League Cliffs in County Donegal, and W.B. Yeats' resting place in County Sligo, Ireland

Portraits of spring and summer trips in Spain, Ireland, Philippines, and the Freud Museum in London

Exhibit in East London; Victoria and Albert Museum; Jamaica Inn in Bodmin, Cornwall; my new friend, accessory designer Ken Samudio at the International Fashion Showcase 2015 London; and my new Canon EOS 100D camera that's now an indispensable companion in my travels

A visit to my grandmother's ancestral home in Batangas, Philippines; beautiful sunset in Roxas Boulevard, Manila; Costa Pacifica in Baler, Aurora, Philippines; and halu-halo dessert with my friend in Manila. P.S. I'm not a fan of those two hearts on the lower left, but this is a collage template, hence I can't get rid of them.

Summer visit to the V&A, and a stroll in London

Lough Gill and Mullaghmore in County Sligo; sunset at 9pm in Ireland; the house of Sigmund Freud in North London; Freud's original Psychoanalysis couch; and a writing on the wall which prompted me to ponder on what entails doing what we love

A white wedding and early Christmas in Ibiza

The last quarter of the year was spent visiting the Old Town of Ibiza and enjoying indulgent watermelon mojito and sangria while there. I sneaked in an early winter trip to the V&A

Later in 2015, I've finally relaunched my blog as Pen Photo Passport (www.essentialsformusings.com) from the former blogspot handle Chinwags and Tittle-Tattles (msmadge.blogspot.co.uk). I feel that the name change reflects my posts and direction. At the same time, going dot com makes me feel I've achieved something over my nearly three years of blogging. Some readers via my Facebook page say they receive a security warning when they click the link on a new post. That's now history. It's taking time for the new URL to crawl up the radar of search engines, but I'm in no rush. I'll get there.Thanks to all you for another year of sharing and exchanging stories and tips!

2 comments:

Happy New Year my lovely! Since hitting my thirties, I've wished time would slow down a bit more, and yes when I'm not at work. I'm really anxious about my age and wherever possible try not to disclose it and I think that's the only reason I'd like time to slow down: so my b'day takes longer to arrive. I guess if you can pack some happy memories into the short time we have, that's all that matters and from your collage it certainly looks like you have in 2015. Here's to doing more of what you love in 2016! xx

THE NUTTER BEHIND THIS IS. . .

Unravelling life when not dozing off during my train ride...
A book-sniffing pessoptimist restrained thinking introvert (those Facebook-sponsored personality tests can get quite addictive), I'm happy to engineer things in the background to avoid the limelight. I love lakes, rivers, G&T, and independent magazines. I went from aspiring to be a majorette when I was little to a forensic pathologist when I realised that white knee-high boots aren't chic. Sunrise, sunset, dawn and midnight, horror flicks, crime TV shows, libraries, museums, new books, black roll neck, jasmine green tea, dry shampoo, dancing, full moon, wintry beaches, mountain views, history, black and white photos, chandeliers, silence, alone time, red lipstick: these are a few of my favourite things.